In the production of inks, paints, colored plastics, and the like, an important factor is the introduction of the pigment. It is essential that the pigment be uniformly dispersed in the vehicle to assure uniform coloring. To obtain this desired uniformity, the pigment is usually ground in a dispersing agent and the resultant pigment paste is incorporated into the composition to give it the desired color, opacity, and other properties.
Many attempts have been made to improve the dispersibility of pigments. The use of the pigment in dry form has been suggested, but this has the disadvantage that powdered pigments are dusty and scatterable, bulky, and difficult to wet out. The addition of a surface active agent or other dispersant to the pigment is also not a satisfactory solution to the problem because it is difficult to obtain the required degree of dispersion.